Nonverbal reasoning questions use figures and visual relationships to examine how students recognize patterns, classify shapes, and apply spatial rules.
Because these tasks rely less on vocabulary, they can offer useful information about students whose language experience differs from the language used for classroom instruction. They are still reasoning tasks—not simple vision tests—and students must understand the directions.
Common nonverbal skills
- Finding the rule that changes one figure into another
- Choosing a figure that completes a visual pattern or matrix
- Grouping figures that share important attributes
- Visualizing how shapes change when folded, rotated, or combined
Explore nonverbal question families
Figure Analogies: Supplemental Visual Reasoning
Understand visual A-to-B relationships and apply them in Figure Analogies.
Figure Classification
Find the shared visual rule in Figure Classification questions and identify the best match.
Figure Matrices
Learn how Figure Matrices questions use rows and columns to test visual rule finding.
Paper Folding
Build spatial reasoning by tracking folds, holes, and symmetry in Paper Folding questions.
Pattern Completion: Supplemental Visual Reasoning
Learn a systematic method for finding the missing piece in a visual pattern.
Practice nonverbal questions
Use these practice pages to work through original CogAT-style visual reasoning questions with answer choices and explanations.
- Figure Matrix Practice
- Figure Classification Practice
- Pattern Completion Practice
- Paper Folding Practice
- Figure Analogy Practice
A useful practice habit
Ask the student to describe what changes and what stays the same. For example: “The shape rotates one quarter turn each time” or “Every figure in this group has exactly one shaded section.” Naming the rule makes the reasoning visible and easier to transfer.
Independent examples only: Our practice figures are created for learning and do not reproduce secure CogAT materials.
K-2 Primary Non-Verbal Practice
These K-2 non-verbal pages use simpler visuals, large answer choices, and early reasoning patterns for younger learners.
- Primary Figure Matrices Practice
- Primary Figure Classification Practice
- Primary Paper Folding Practice
K-2 Primary CogAT Practice Hub
Looking for all Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2 visual practice in one place? Visit the CogAT Primary Practice for K-2 hub.